Double-acting spring-hinge.



E. BOMMER.

DOUBLE ACTING SPRING HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1909.

Patented Dec.21,190 9.

-, wi/tmwoeo EMIL BOMMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DOUBLE-ACTING SPRING-HINGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Application filed February 27, 1909. Serial No. 480,371.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL BOMMER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in New York, in the borough of Brooklyn, county ofKings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Double-Acting Spring- Hinges, of which the following isa specilication.

This invention relates to an improved double-acting spring-hinge inwhich the web connecting the barrels is made of three layers which areconnected in such a manner that the riveting of the three layers isdispensed with and a neater and better finished appearance is impartedto the wab.

In Letters Patent No. $5,366, dated November 1, 1892, granted to myfather, Lorenz Bommer, a double-acting spring-hinge is shown in whichthe barrel-connecting web is made of three layers which are made in oneintegral piece with the barrels and which are then riveted together. Inmy improved spring-hinge, the barrel-connecting web is also made ofthree layers which are formed in one integral piece with the barrelsfrom a sheet-metal blank, the middle portion of which, between thebarrels, forms the first layer of the web and is extended at its upperand lower ends, said extensions being bent or folded over the twoend-portions of the blank, which form the second and third layers of theweb, and which are interlocked at their upper and lower ends into theplane of the second or intermediate layer. The third layer is depressedat both ends to a depth equal to the thickness of the extensions of thefirst layer, to provide seats for said extensions when they are foldedover, whereby a web of three layers of uniform thickness is obtained;one or more projections on the longitudinal edge of the third or outerlayer of the web being seated in corresponding slots of the adjacentbarrel to prevent buckling.

The invention consists further in the peculiar formation of the blankused for the improved barrel-connecting web, and lastly in theintroduction of washers provided with bent-up lugs at opposite sides oftheir central opening, which lugs are inserted into correspondingrecesses of the ears formed on the flanges of the double-actingspring-hinge, said washers serving for taking up the wear with theadjacent faces of the spring-holders and tension-collars and reinforcingthe ears.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sideelevation of myimproved spring-hinge, the left-hand barrel being in elevation and theright-hand barrel in vertical section, Fig. 2 is a vertical transversesection on line 2, 2, Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a planview of the spring-hingeshown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a plan-view of the blank after it is partlybent to form the barrels and web, Fig. 5 is a plan-view of the blankfrom which the barrels and the connecting-web are made, Fig. 6 is adetail top-view of the ear bent up from the flange, Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the washer connected with the ear of the flange,Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section showing a barrel-connecting webof four layers made according to my improved construction, and Fig. 9 isa side-elevation of the barrels and connecting-web shown as foldedtogether preparatory to the final bending over of the extensions of therear layer of the web.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures.

Referring to the drawings, a (4 represent the barrels of my improveddouble-acting spring-hinge, and a the connecting-web for the same. Thebarrels and web are made of one integral piece of sheet-steel that isformed of the blank 0 shown in Fig. 5, which is cut by means of suitabledies from a piece of sheet-steel or other sheet-metal of suitable sizeand thickness. The blank a is provided with central extensions 1 whichextend beyond the height of the adjacent portions of the blank fromwhich the barrels a a are formed. At the corners of the barrel-formingportions are formed small recesses 2, and adjacent thereto longerrecesses 3. Adjacent to the recesses 23 are formed projections t, andadjacent thereto corner-recesses 5, the projections being equal orapproximately equal in area with the area of the recessed portions. Theblank a is folded up so as to form the barrels, the middle portion ofthe blank a between the barrels a and a, with its extended ends 1,forming the first or rear layer, while the end-portion of the blank aadjacent the barrel (4 forms the second layer, and the endportion of theblank adjacent the barrel (1 forms the third layer, as shown in Figs. 2

and at. After the blank (4 is bent into this shape, the projections andrecesses at the upper and lower ends of the second and third layers areinterlocked into the plane of the second layer. Then the centralextensions 1 of the first layer are bent over the projections at theupper and lower ends of the second and third layers and are seatedagainst lateral depressions 6 formed on the third layer at the line ofinterlocking of the projections and depressions of the third layer intothe plane of the second layer, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, a and 5. Thesmall recesses 2 at the ends of the barrel-portions of the blank servefor providing for the thickness of the bent-over central extensions 1 ofthe middle portion of the blank in order to produce a web of equalheight with the barrels. By this construction a web of three layers ofuniform thickness is obtained. The barrel a is provided at its junctionwith the second layer with one or more slots 7 into which one or morecorresponding projections 8 on the edge of the third layer of the webare inserted to prevent buckling after the blank is bent into shape.Finally, by means of powerful pressure applied to the web, the threelayers are rigidly and permanently swaged together.

The improved barrel-connecting web can be used for double-acting siring-hinges of the diagonal ball-bearing as well as of thenon-ball-bearing type, whether the fixed spring-holders andtension-collars are of the diagonal or non-diagonal arrangement.

Instead of being made of three layers, the barrel-connecting web may bemade of four layers, as shown in Lorenz Bommers Letters Patent No.M8312, dated August 31, 1886, in which each barrel is provided with twoextension-plates which overlap each other and are then riveted togetherto form the web of four layers. The present invention can be adapted forthis construction by interlocking the upper and lower ends of the secondand third layers into the plane of the second layer, the fourth layerbeing formed so as to follow the configuration of the planes of theinterlocking second and third layers, the first layer being providedwith extensions 1 at its upper and lower ends, which are bent or foldedover the upper and lower ends of the second, third and fourth layers andfinally seated in the depressions 6 formed by the offsetting of thefourth layer, where it follows the configuration of the interlockedplanes of the second and third layers, so that a web of four layers ofuniform thickness is obtained, as shown in Fig. 8.

The flanges f of my improved doubleacting spring-hinge are provided inthe usual manner at the upper and lower ends with perforated ears 6 ethat are bent up at right angles to the flange, and by which theconnection with the pintles and barrels is made. The centralperforations in the ears are provided with rectangular recesses 0located at diametrically opposite points of the central perforations,into which the bentup lugs to of centrally perforated washers w areinserted, said perforations and lugs corresponding with the centralperforations and recesses of the ears. The washers reinforce the earsand take up the wear produced on the cars by the friction of thetension-collars and spring-holders. The .ashers can be readily replacedwhen worn out by use, at a very insignificant cost, so that aspringhinge of almost unlimited durability is obtained. The washers ware applied to the four ears of the double-acting spring-hinge and canbe used on all forms of double-acting spring-hinges, Whether with orwithout ball-hearings, but with special advantage on the spring-hingefor which Letters Patent were granted to me on September 8, 1908, No.898,031, though in the application to the latter spring-hinge only twowashers would be required at diagonally opposite points at the jointscarrying the load, one at the lower end of the left-hand barrel and theother at the upper end of the right-hand barrel. For the sake ofsymmetry, however, washers may be introduced at the remaining earsbetween them and the adjacent projecting portion of the spring-holderand adjacent face of the tension-collar.

As the improved web-connection between the barrels is made withoutrivets, the appearance of the spring-hinge is rendered more finished.The transverse lines obtained by the folding over of the extended endsof the first layer of the web upon the interlocking ends of theremaining layers or plies may be repeated by transverse depressions uponthe other side of the web so as to secure a uniform appearance to bothsides of the web and give to the spring-hinge a distinct and readilyrecognizable characteristic, while by the use of the reinforcingwashers, which are held in rigid position on the perforated ears of theflanges, the wear of the rotating parts is taken up and thereby the useof the more expensive pintle-sockets shown in Letters Patent No. 485,366hereinbefore referred to is dispensed with.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a double-acting spring-hinge, a webconnection for the barrels ofthe hinge made of a plurality of layers and formed of a first layerconnecting one of the meeting edges of the barrels and havingoppositely-disposed vertical extensions at the upper and lower ends, anintermediate layer and a frontlayer overlapping each other and formingextensions of the opposite meeting edges of each of the two barrels, thelayers and barrels being made in one integral piece and united byfolding over the vertical extensions of the upper and lower ends of thefirst layer.

2. In a double-acting spring-hinge, a webconnection for the barrels ofthe hinge made of three layers and formed of a first or rear layerconnecting one of the meeting edges of each of the two barrels, saidlayer being provided with oppositely disposed vertical extensions aboveand below the barrels, an intermediate layer and a front layeroverlapping each other and forming extensions of the opposite meetingedges of the barrels, the intermediate and front-layers being providedwith recesses and projections at their upper and lower ends over whichthe extensions of the first or rear layer are folded.

In a double-acting spring-hinge, a webconnection for the barrels of thehinge made of three layers and formed of a rear layer connecting one ofthe meeting edges of the barrels, said rear layer being provided withoppositely disposed vertical extensions above and below the barrels, anintermediate layer and a front layer overlapping each other and formingextensions of the opposite meeting edges of the barrels, theintermediate and front layers being provided with recesses andprojections, the recesses and projections of the front layer beingoffset and interlocked with the projections and recesses, of theintermediate layer, to lie in the plane of the intermediate layer,thereby forming lateral depressions on the face of the frontlayer at theupper and lower ends thereof into which the extensions of the rear-layerare folded and seated.

4. In a double-acting spring-hinge, a webconnection for the barrels ofthe hinge made of three layers and formed of a rear-layer connecting oneof the meeting edges of the barrels and provided with oppositelydisposed vertical extensions at the upper and lower ends, anintermediate layer and a front layer overlapping each other and formingextensions of the opposite meeting edges of the barrels, said extensionsof the rear layer being folded over the projections and recesses of theintermediate and front layers, and a slot or slots located at thejunction of the barrel and the intermediate layer interlocking with aprojection or projections at the edge of the front-layer for preventingbuckling of the front layer.

5. A blank for the web-connection of the barrels of a double actingspring -hinge, formed of an oblong piece of metal having extensions atthe-middle portion and recesses and projections at the upper and lowerportions of the outer ends registering with each other on folding theblank into two barrels I and a three-ply web-connection between thesame.

6. A blank of sheet-metal provided with lextensions at the middleportion equal in width with the web of the hinge, intermediate portionsfor forming the barrels, and lend-portions for forming the overlapping ilayers or plies of the web, said end-portions being provided with smallcorner-recesses and deeper recesses and projections at the upper andlower ends which register with the adjacent projections and recesses ofthe layers or plies forming the barrels and connecting-web.

7. A blank of sheet-metal for forming the barrels and web of adouble-acting springhinge, provided with extensions at the middleportion equal in width with the web of the hinge, intermediate portionsfor forming the barrels and end-portions for form ing the overlappinglayers or plies of the web, said end-portions being provided at theupper and lower ends with recesses and projections registering with eachother on folding the blank into two barrels and a three-plyconnecting-web, said blank being provided with a slot or slots locatedat the junction of one barrel-portion and the portion forming theintermediate layer of the web-connection and with a projection orproject-ions at the outer edge of the portion forming the front-layer ofthe web-connection between the barrels.

S. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with a spring-barrel, of a flangeprovided with perforated ears bent up at the upper and lower ends of theflange, washers interposed between the ears and adjacent spring-holderand tension-collar, and means for connecting the washers with the carsso as to reinforce. the ears and move with the same for taking up thewear of the adjacent parts.

9. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with a spring-barrel, of a flangeprovided with bent-up perforated cars at its upper and lower ends, saidperforated ears being provided with recesses at diametrically oppositepoints of the central perforation, and washers provided with bent-uplugs also at diametrically opposite points of the central perforation,said lugs interlocking with the recesses of the ears for reinforcing theears and taking up the wear of the adjacent movable portions.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL BOMMER.

lVit nesses PAUL GOEPEL, HENRY J. SUHRBIER.

